In its fourth year, the Readers’ Choice Awards highlight the cleanroom equipment and supplies that readers judge most effective and trusted in their work. Cleanroom equipment and product suppliers were invited to submit their products for these prestigious awards. Winners in each category were chosen based on a voting survey sent to a select group of Controlled Environments readers.
APPAREL: Cut Resistant Glove Liners
While either worn under a disposable glove, or alone, Cut Resistant Glove Liners from Purus International are ANSI Cut 2-designed for light duty cut protection. Made from 13-gauge low-linting white nylon with HPPE, this durable underglove, compatible for all cleanroom requirements, provides protection while wicking away moisture. Yes, it can do both! This results in comfortable use for the wearer. We can’t stress the comfort factor enough. Also, the gloves are reusable. The cuffs are color coded at the cuff for visual size identification and ambidextrous making the laundering process that much easier. Manufactured with 100 percent quality control inspection, these glove liners provide increased worker safety and satisfaction. Whether you’re in manufacturing, a laboratory, working in the semiconductor or biotechnology sector, or any other critical environment where moisture wicking and safety are paramount, these glove liners should be part of your daily wear.
www.purusint.com
CLEANROOM COMPONENTS: ALUMA1 System
The ALUMA1 System, offered by ESC Environmental Systems Corp., is different from other cleanroom wall systems because it allows infinite flexibility to make changes, add or remove equipment, add or change utilities, or add doors and flush windows; quickly and easily. The flexibility of this cleanroom wall and ceiling system is the use of aluminum or co-extruded PVC battens and base (cove or flat), as part of the wall system, allowing walls to be relocated as required; one system for all life sciences, pharma, cannabis, or electronics cleanroom applications. In today’s marketplace it is increasingly important to have cleanroom manufacturing facilities that suit your business plans today and in the future. The key to this is flexible construction design, which allows for re-configuration with minimal downtime and cost. Projects have been completed to meet ISO 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (Class 10, Class 100, Class 1,000, Class 10,000, and Class 100,000) and validated to meet GMP, cGMP, FDA, Health Canada, and EU standards. Our life sciences cleanroom solutions have been used for pharmaceutical applications ranging from packaging to sterile and aseptic fill suites, USP 797 pharmacies, nutraceutical production, medical devices, biotechnology, ophthalmic, regenerative medicine, and biological safety laboratories — BSL 2, BSL 2 Enhanced, and BSL 3.
www.e-s-c.com
CLEANROOM CONSUMABLES: Anti-Bacteria Phone Cover and Screen Protector
Good Season Creation Ltd.’s anti-bacteria phone cover and screen protector are made with PTE and coated with silicon dioxide and nano-silver insert. The whole manufacturing process does not involve any chemicals. Nano-silver particles are evenly distributed in between silicon dioxide through vacuum physical vapor deposit technology; it prevents bacteria or viruses from entering the human body. Silver particles reacting with oxygen will release silver ion, which can kill bacteria and viruses immediately. Silver will not be consumed, which can repeatedly kill bacteria. This is a contact killing bacteria coating and transparent cover. When a consumer uses the phone no bacteria will stick on its surface, and at the same time bacteria or virus on the hand can be cleaned. No chemicals are used on the coating surface, which will not come off by bending or twisting, and the product offers unlimited use. It prevents bacteria or viruses from entering the human body through the nose, mouth or eyes. SGS test report shows that it kills 99.99 percent of bacteria. Approved for cleanroom use.
www.hktdc.com
CRITICAL CLEANING – TIE: Air-Surface Disinfection Unit
The Air-Surface Disinfection Unit from Far-UV Sterilray provides a high-level of pathogen disinfection in room air and surfaces with just the flick of a switch. Center-mounted, its rotating field of irradiance will kill microbes facing the lamp on surfaces: a run of 7 hours produces a greater than 6-log (99.9999 percent) kill on floor-level surfaces. It simultaneously disinfects air passing by a lamp with a 99.98 percent single-pass kill, including any pathogens entering the cleanroom from outside make-up air. One day it will be safe for human exposure. The light may offer low-cost solution to eradicating airborne viruses in indoor public spaces. Continuous low doses of light can kill airborne flu viruses without harming human tissues, according to a new study at the Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC). The findings suggest that use of the overhead light in hospitals, doctors’ offices, schools, airports, airplanes, and other public spaces could provide a powerful check on seasonal influenza epidemics, as well as influenza pandemics. Until FDA approval, this unit can only be used when the room is unoccupied. Unlike traditional UV-C, the unit’s wavelength matches the resonant molecular (peptide and disulfide) bonds frequencies on the outside of all pathogens. Bacteria, virus, and spores literally explode due to higher Far-UV photon energy. The lamps contain no mercury or electrodes, have very long lamp-life, and produce no ozone. Also, the product will not damage rubber or plastics, or even penetrate skin.
www.sterilray.com
CRITICAL CLEANING – TIE: ABA Coating
Good Season Creation Ltd.’s ABA Coating dry cleaning product removes bacteria from hands. The product can clean hands of bacteria by rubbing it on the hands for more than 15 seconds. It is made of hollow-wrap stainless steel with an anti-bacteria coating, and is two inches in diameter. The coating is a type of ceramic coating with combination of tungsten, carbon, and nano-silver. The product is harder than stainless steel and will not easily be scratched. The production process does not involve any chemicals, and is all done in a vacuum chamber. Nano-silver is evenly inserted into tungsten/tungsten carbide by very high bias voltage. Tungsten and tungsten carbide are used as a carrier so the nano-silver is well protected. When nano-silver reacts with oxygen it will start to release silver ion, which is very strong with a positive charge so that it can kill most bacteria and viruses in a short time. It can be used an unlimited number of times and lab tests show that it can kill 90.99 percent of bacteria. Other than silver ion, tungsten will form an acidic surface with air moisture that stops bacteria from growing. It can be worn as a pendant or put in a pocket.
www.hktdc.com
FURNITURE: Fin Sit-Stand
The Fin Sit-Stand from BioFit Engineered Products was created for use in cleanroom, technology, laboratory, educational, healthcare, and industrial workplaces. It is designed for tasks requiring extended periods of standing and provides users with support and ergonomic functionality in applications where sitting down is not an option. The product enables users to redistribute their weight and decrease stress on their legs and feet by up to 60 percent. In 2018, it was rated for use in ISO 7 cleanrooms. Part of the bimos by BioFit Collection, a collaboration between BioFit and European seating leader bimos, the piece features a swiveling polyurethane seat with fingertip-controlled pneumatic height adjustment mounted on a brushed aluminum column inclined at 4 degrees to promote a positive working posture and a stable base with interchangeable glides. Additionally, it has a seat-height adjustment range of 24.5 to 33.5 in. to accommodate various work surface heights and is backed by a 13-year warranty.
www.biofit.com
MONITORING/INSTRUMENTATION: ApexZ3 and ApexZ50 Particle Counters
The ApexZ3 and ApexZ50 particle counters from Lighthouse Worldwide Solutions are the premier solutions for taking environmental monitoring programs to the next level. These instruments include the most complete system of self-diagnostics in the industry in an enclosure that is sealed, easy to wipe-down, and chemically compatible with all major cleaning solutions. The products focus on risk mitigation — the integration of game-changing features such as grid views, rooms, zero count isolation, advanced self-diagnostics, and cloning to reduce operator error and labor costs. The instruments include integrated alarm indicators in the handle and 11-hour battery life with hot swappable smart batteries. The devices also include enhanced user and security levels, audit trails, and multi-level user management to ensure compliance. Also included are Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB, and remote-control functionality via a smartphone app, with data transfer to LIMS/building automation systems. They provide connectivity by supporting Common Internet File Systems and Active Directory, and eliminate the need to manually export data. At 8.4 lbs. (battery included), the units are the lightest portable particle counters on the market today. They provide user and security levels, audit trails, and data tags that allow you to record things like batch and lot information, room status, or any other particle counting-related data. For large-scale production facilities, custom integration and automation solutions are available.
www.golighthouse.com
WATER/CHEMICAL/GAS AND RELATED PRODUCTS: Activated Carbon Filtration Media
Advanced Filtration Concepts offers the AC105 Activated Carbon Filtration Media (AC105). The system is effective at removing and preventing odors and fumes from building up in recirculated air. It also prevents outside fumes generated from helicopters and trucks, roofing tar, wildfire smoke, cigarette smoke, and other undesirable odors. The product is a quick solution for emergency IAQ problems (wildfire smoke fumes, construction projects, etc.). It “adsorbs” odors and pollutants without settling of carbon and contains 105 grams of activated carbon per square feet. The device is a low air resistance, non-bypass, disposable media offered for light, medium or heavy-duty applications. Available in rolls, panels or pre-cut to specified size and shape. Ideal for cleanroom applications, hospitals, food manufacturing facilities, commercial kitchens, commercial and/or industrial installations; air intakes on rooftops, near loading docks, heliports, and/or at ground level.
www.advfiltration.com